When the COVID 19 pandemic closed schools in March, Millburn and all school districts across the nation were caught off guard. Our children's education suffered from a lack of organized, consistent remote learning. We are concerned that now, five months later, we have a hybrid model that still lacks a strong virtual component. We are petitioning Dr. Burton and the Board of Education to immediately invest in a virtual learning consultant in order to create an online environment that is on par with the education our students and families have come to expect from Millburn.

Discussions among members of the Working Mothers of Millburn and Short Hills revealed that many families are in a bind: due to safety risks, they are hesitant to send their kids to school in person, especially to Millburn Middle School and Millburn High School. Yet these same families are concerned that their kids will not receive adequate instruction and attention from teachers via their computers. We do not understand how our teachers will manage to both keep their live students and themselves safe in the classroom while simultaneously monitoring and engaging with their online students.

A robust virtual learning experience will be required in all likelihood for all students as we approach winter​. ​In the meantime, in order to make sure there is parity in Millburn’s educational options, we implore you to hire someone with the expertise and experience to guide you in creating the virtual learning solution​s our children require now.